Double talk
One of our sharpest comedians does double duty, starting with the return of "Real Time With Bill Maher," which will air live out of Washington, D.C., with guests Nancy Pelosi, who talks almost exclusively about politics, and Jerry Seinfeld, who rarely touches the subject. Immediately following the talk show, the host will jump in a police car and rush over to a separate venue for "Bill Maher: Live From D.C.," a one-hour stand-up special. Barely gives Maher a chance to sneak in a puff of weed. 8 p.m. Friday, HBO
Winning combination
Matthew McConaughey may be smarting over his Emmy loss last month, but he can be comforted by his Oscar win for "Dallas Buyers Club," which makes its pay-cable TV debut. The film also showcases Jared Leto, who is still collecting a lot of hardware for his performance. 7 p.m. Saturday, HBO
First family
The Ken Burns collection offers up one of its most populist series with "The Roosevelts: An Intimate History," a 14-hour project that stretches over seven consecutive days. Paul Giamatti, Meryl Streep and Edward Herrmann are among those lending their voices. For an in-depth look at the documentary, as well as an interview with Burns, see Saturday's Variety section. 7 p.m. Sunday, TPT, Ch. 2
There she is
Atlantic City has been hit hard by the recent closings of two major casinos, but at least it can revel in the return of the "Miss America Pageant," which premiered on the Boardwalk in 1921. For the first time, viewers can catch a preview hour with behind-the-scenes tidbits leading up to the actual event. 7 p.m. Sunday, KSTP, Ch. 5
Neal Justin
